Circuit control means for motor vehicles



Sept. 14, 1948. E. E. SUMMERSETT I 2,449,338

CIRCUIT CONTROLMEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Jan. 24, 1948 A v p la c [-40 s/ 6/ 6a p 6? 53 .3.

60 INVENTOR. 69 J6 M 51 5/25 77!? JUMMERJf 72;

" 65 av 31 t g T ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1948 CIRCUIT CONTROL MEANS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Everett E. Summersett, Hollywood, Fla.

Application January 24, 1948, Serial No. 4,113

. 3 Claims. I 1

This invention relates to motor vehicle electrical circuits and has particular reference to such circuits, exclusive of the ignition circuit.

In the conventional motor vehicle, circuits have been provided for illumination, including headlights; parking lights and rear lights, such as tall and'stop lights, accessories, such as radio, heater and defroster and a conventional starting motor action, toautomatically disconnect all lights and accessories during the period of the starter actuation and, upon the release of the starter switch, to cause all circuits to be reestablished. A further object of the invention resides in automatic circuit control means, operable by bringing the starter into action but, instead of interrupting all the circuits, provision is made whereby certain warning or caution lights may be brought into circuit while the motor is being started, thus relieving considerable strain on the battery, but providing a caution of safety light as a'warning to approaching drivers.

Another object is the extreme simplicity of the wiring arrangement, requiring no special tools for installation; employs standard equipment now in use, is cheap to manufacture and install and is highly eifici'ent and beneficial in use.

Other and-important objects of the invention will present themselves during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure l is a diagrammatic illustration of a circuit embodying the preferred form of the invention and,

' Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

.Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly Figure 1, the numeral 5 indicates a conventional motor vehicle lighting control switch,

having a plunger 6 adapted to bridge contacts 1 and 8 and contacts 9 and Ill. A conductor wire H leads from the contact 1 to a pair of parking lights 12, grounded at I3. -A conductor wire l4 leads from the contact 8 to one or more taillights J15,-1ikewisegrounded.- A conductor wire l6 leads from the contact 9 to a pair of headlights 'Il, grounded at I8. A circuit breaker, indicated as a whole by the numeral l9 embodies contacts 26' and 2| and 22 and 23. Contact bars 24 and 25, pivotally connected to the contacts and 22 respectively are adapted to swing laterally from the contacts 2i and 23 for making and breaking a circuit therethrough. A conductor wire'ZB, leads from the battery B, through an ammeter 21, to contact 20, while a conductor wire 28 leads from the contact 2| to the plunger 6 of the switch. A by-pass wire 29 leads from the wire 28 to the contact 22. A conductor wire 30 leads from the contact 23 to various accessories, such as are indicated at 3| and 32, being in this instance a radio and a heater. The means for shifting the bars 24 and 25 laterally, embodies a solenoid windin 33 having a core 34, pivotally connected to the bars 24 and 25. Actuation of the solenoid obviously shifts the bars from the contacts 2| and 23 for interrupting the circuit to the lights and the accessories.

A conventional starter motor is indicated at 35 and includes the conventional shifting solenoid 36. The solenoid 36 is actuated by a conductor wire 31 from the ammeter and includes in its length, the conventional starter switch 38. The solenoid 36 is grounded as indicated. Thesolenoid 36 carries a bridging contact 39, adapted to bridge contacts 40, normally housed on the starting motor 35. A by-pass wire 4| leads from the wire 31 to one of the contacts 40, while the other contact has direct electrical connection with the winding of the motor. The opposite side of the motor is grounded as indicated. It will thus be seen, that upon a closing of the switch 38, the solenoid 36 shifts its bridging contact 39 across the contacts 40, establishing a flow of electrical energy through the starter motor. I

The means for energizing the solenoid'33 comprises a conductor wire 42, leading from the motor contact 40 to one side of the solenoid winding 33, while the opposite side of the solenoid is grounded as indicated. The battery B is grounded, as indicated. It may be found in certain instances, due to various state laws, that warning lights may be required on the rear of the vehicle and to provide for this eventuality, a contact 43 may be included in the gang of contacts for the circuit maker and breaker l9 whereby, when the bars 24 and 25 are shifted, the bar 25 will bridge the contacts 22 and 43. A conductor wire from the contact 43 may extend to any desirable form of safety light.

In the use of this form of the invention, assuming that the switch 5 has been shifted to the headlight contacts 9 and I and the circuit controller I9 is in the normal position shown, current is flowing from the battery to the headlights, through a by-pass wire In to the tail light and possibly the accessories are being used. Then it is desired to start the motor, as when it has become stalled, the starter switch 38 is closed, actuating the solenoid 36 for bridging the contacts 40. Current then flows from the battery through the wires 31 and 4|, through the motor 35 to the ground. The flow of electrical energy through the contacts 40, likewise sets up a flow of current through the wir 42 for energizing the solenoid 33, shifting the bars 24 and 25 laterally and interrupting the flow of current to the lights and the accessories. After the motor 35 has started the engine, the switch 38 is released to open position, deenergizing the solenoid 35 and causing the contact 39 to move away from the contacts 43, interrupting the flow of current to the starter motor and to the solenoid 33, causing the bars 24 and 25 to immediately shift to their normal con- "tacting position for establishing the flow of current to the lights and accessories. Thus, the lights and accessories are automatically controlled'by the actuation of the starter motor, requiring-no other a'ction'by the operator than the closing of the switch 38, all movements being controlled thereby.

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, headlights H, parking lights |'2,"tail light |-and control switch 5 are identical tothatshownin Figure 1 and the same characters of reference have been applied to these parts. Plunger 6 of switch 5 has connection with the battery B't'hroug'ha conductor wire 44, having an ammeter 45 inits length. The battery B is grounded as indicated. The headlights are .cOnnec'ted by a conductor wire 41 with a contact gp'oint 48 while a wire-"49 connects the contact 9 with a contact "50. The contacts 48 and 50' are normally bridged by a swinging bar5l, held in .the norm'alposition by spring means, not shown. A relay Winding 52 serves to move the bar 5| from thecontact 48 to a contact 53, at such times as the relay 'is energized. A conductor wire 54 connects the contact 53 with the wire ll, leading to the parking lights l2. The relay 52 is grounded, as indicated. The numeral 55 indicateda conventional starting motor embodying the usual solenoid56. The solenoid 55 is adapted "to be energized by the battery '13, through the m'edium of a conductor wire 5?, having in its length the conventional starter switch 58. The solenoid '56 actuates a bridging contact 59 to 'bridge contacts 60, mounted on the starter casling. Onecontact 65 is connected with the source of current B, by a conductor wire 3|, while the other contact .66 has direct connection with the windings of the motor 55. Aconductor wire 62 leads from the motor contact 65 to one side of the relay 52. The motor is grounded as indi- "cated. It ispointed out, that in this latter form of the invention, it is contemplated that all the accessories and the headlights will be turned off during the running of the starter motor, the purpose for this arrangement being to provide sufficient external illumination to the vehicle during theperiod when the starter is running and -to relieve the excessive drain on-the battery such as .is present when the headlights and accessories arein use.

The operation of this form of the invention is .as follows: Assuming that the headlights, tail 4 light and accessories are in use and it becomes necessary to start the engine. The operator merely presses and closes the starter switch 58, which action energizes the solenoid 55, causing the bridge contact 59 to bridge the contacts 5|]. Current then flows from the battery through wire 5| to the starter motor. At the same instant, current passes through the wire 52 to the relay 52, 'causing the bar 5| to move-from the contact 48 to the contact 53, thus interruptingthe flow of current to the headlights I1. Current then flows from the battery B, through wire 44 to the plunger 6, contacts 3 and Ill, wire 49 to contact 50, through bar 5| and contact '53, wire 54 to wire H, causing the parking lights to burn. Current likewise'travelsfrom contact I0, b-y-pass wire to wire l4 and to tail light l5. Thus a mere actuation of the starter switch 58 results in the automatic changeover from the heavy amperage elements to the lower amperage elements, in this instance being from the headlights and accessoriesto-the parking and tail lights while the starter motor is in operation. Release of the vswitch58 to-the open position, interrupts the flow of current to the solenoid56, the motor :55 and relay .5'2, causing the bar 5| to again move to -its normal engaging position withthe contact .18, therebyreestablishing the flow of current to the headlights through wire 44, contact 9, wire 48 to contact, through bar 5| and contact "and wire 4l'toithe headlights. In eitherposition, current will flow to the .tail light. 'WhiIe theaccessories have not been indicated as being in the circuitin this form of the invention,.it is obvious that they shall connect'from the headlight side of the contact 48.

It will be seen from .theforegoing that .an extremely simple and eificient system ofcon'triol has been .provided for the starting .and' lighting .circuits of a motor vehicle. As an example'of the tremendous drain on :a vehicle battery, thefollowing figures arelcited toindicatethe recognized amperes required for the average .lighting and accessories. Headlights 1450 amperes; ignition 1.7 amperes; instrument lights .58 ampere; tail light 1.2 .amperes; license light ..'6 ampere;heater, -etc., 7.0 amperes and radio 7.5 .amperes. While ily interrupting the lights and accessories while the-starter is in use, the .battery will'beprotected and the likelihood of a .run-downsbattery minimized to a large extent. This condition .is .particularly prevalent in cold climates where :engines arenormally hard .tostart. In comparison, summer starting will pull from .125 to 300 amperes, while in winter-this .willbefrom300 to IDO-amperes, Another advantage .in vinterrupting .the radio whilestartin is due to the fact that-automgbile radios are'frequently damaged when starting the motor with the radio in use, causing the vibrator to stick. The systemsemployediare simple and easy to install, are cheap, highly'eflicient in use and result in a considerable-saving in battery damage=and%recharging.

It is to 'beunders'tood that the invention' is not limited to :the .precise arrangement :shown, but that it includes in its purview, "whatever changes fair-1y come within either the terms ortthe spirit of the appendedclaims.

Having des cribedrmy inventionwhat I claim is'z '1. Control "means i-for motor vehicle electrical circuits including a source oi electrical energy and a starter, vehicle headlights, vehicle parking lights and vehicle tail light, circuits for conducting electrical energy to the several lights, a switch for controlling the circuits, a circuit for conducting electrical energy to the starter, a solenoid for controlling theflow of current to the starter, a source of energy for the solenoid, a switch for controlling the flow of current to the solenoid, a circuit breaker positioned in the circuits to the several lights, a solenoid for actuating the circuit breaker, said last named solenoid energized for breaking the light circuits when the starter is actuated, said solenoids automatically assuming their normal position when the starter is deenergized.

2. Control means for motor vehicle electrical circuits including a source of energy and a starter, headlights, parking lights, taillight and accessories carried by the vehicle, electrical circuits for conducting current from the source of energy to the several lights and accessories, a circuit maker and breaker included in the lights and accessories circuit, a solenoid for actuating the circuit maker and breaker, a circuit for conducting electrical energy to the starter, a solenoid associated with the starter and serving to establish the flow of current to the starter, a circuit for actuating the solenoid, a switch in the circuit for the last named solenoid, a plurality of contacts carried by the circuit maker and breaker, said first named sole-' noid adapted to be energized upon the establishment of a flow of current to the starter for actuating the breaker to interrupt the flow of current to the lights and accessories, said circuit breaker 6 when actuated to interrupt the flow of current to the lights, serving to establish a flow of current to a warning light, said circuit maker and breaker automatically being reset upon a deenergization of the starter circuit.

3. A control means for the electrical circuits of motor vehicles including a battery, a starter, headlights, parking lights and tail light, circuits for conducting electrical energy to the several lights and to the starter, a switch for norm-ally controlling the flow of current to either the headlights and tail light or parking lights and tail light, a solenoid for controlling the flow of current to the starter, an electrical circuit for the solenoid, a switch for the solenoid circuit, a relay, a switch adapted to be actuated by the relay, said relay adapted to be energized upon the establishment of a now of current to the starter, said relay when actuated adapted to interrupt the flow of current to the headlights and to establish a flow of current to the parking lights, said relay adapted to be deenergized upon an interruption of the flow of current to the starter for automatically interrupting the flow of current to the parking lights and reestablishing a flow of current to the headlights.

EVERETT E. SUMMERSETT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Boling May 19, 1942 Number 

